Finding new value has been the red thread running through my career. I work at the intersection of design, business and innovation helping leadership teams forge strategies that transform businesses and grow new ones. I combine deep industry knowledge with a creative edge, turning big ideas into coherent strategies and successful products.
Helping organisations navigate change. An outside perspective willing to say what it actually thinks. Strategy pressure-testing, direction-setting, blind spot identification.
From concept to market. Understanding goals, creating direction, and building clear strategies to get there.
Senior design leadership without the permanent hire. Embedded, trusted, flexible with the business fluency to connect the design room to the boardroom.
I challenge assumptions, encourage divergent thinking, and shape the narrative that takes ideas to market.
“There are few people I know who are as deeply knowledgeable about design as Robert. He sees the big picture and the smallest details at once connecting how a seventies Merc reflects its cultural moment just as easily as explaining how AI is reshaping how we generate ideas today.”
“He always found new ways to approach our common problems. He was always the first to roll up his sleeves and start making the solution visual and real.”
“There are few people I know as erudite in design matters small and large from the radii of a car door handle to the sociology and economic drivers behind a market appetite for a quieter aesthetic.”
“Robert represents the customer perspective to ensure a seamless design narrative, working closely with design teams and technical partners to coordinate strategies and agree targets for a consistent brand identity. He is adept at recognising new areas for growth by synthesising a variety of influences.”
“When it comes to strategy and understanding how you can position yourself in the current and future automotive market, it is difficult to imagine a better professional.”
“Robert has a flair for innovative thinking that consistently produces ideas others have not considered. A rare combination of technical depth and strategic breadth.”
Robert brings 20 years of in-house and consulting experience, partnering with global leadership teams and founders to create and deliver strategies that transform businesses and launch new ventures. He has a proven track record in defining new value propositions from vision to execution, leading cross-functional teams, and driving measurable growth.
His career started in Japan with Honda’s future technology department, before joining the BMW design team in Germany where he led products for their EV roadmap and strategy for future products. His expertise was sharpened by an executive programme at IESE Business School.
Robert shares his experience as keynote speaker at global events and contributes to industry publications. MA(RCA) Vehicle Design, Royal College of Art. BA(Hons) Transport Design, Coventry University.